The Dragonflies and Damselflies of North Carolina
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North Carolina's 189 Odonate species
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Related Species in COENAGRIONIDAE: Number of records for 2023 = 0
Added in 2023 from a previous years = 25

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e.g., flight data, high counts, and earliest/latest dates can be seen.
[View PDF]		Rambur's Forktail (Ischnura ramburii) by Mark Shields
Compare with: Furtive Forktail   Eastern Forktail  
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Note: these identification tips apply specifically to mature males; features may differ in immature males and in females.

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Map
Click on county for list of all its records for Rambur's Forktail
Flight Charts
Distribution Occupies the eastern 60% of the state, with scattered records in the western Piedmont; only two county records (Avery and Jackson) for the mountains. Thus, it is unclear if it occurs statewide, though it certainly is very scarce in the western third of the state.
Abundance Common to locally very common in the lower Coastal Plain, particularly around brackish pools along the coast. Generally common elsewhere in the Coastal Plain, but locally abundant in the Sandhills (such as at the McKinney Lake fish hatchery). Uncommon to locally common in the eastern and southeastern Piedmont, rare in the central Piedmont, and very rare farther westward.
Flight The flight is from mid-March into late November, at least in the Coastal Plain, sparingly from late February and to mid-December. In the Piedmont, the flight begins in early April, and ends by late October. The two mountain flight dates are in mid-June and late July.
Habitat Bay lakes, haline pools and shores, and heavily vegetated ponds.
Behavior Tends to perch on low vegetation in the open, where easily seen.
Comments This is one of the few damselflies that is quite common along and near the immediate coast. The range in the western half of the state still needs much elucidation, especially as there is just one recent record west of Orange and Mecklenburg counties, for Jackson County.
State Rank S5
State Status
Global Rank G5
Federal Status
Synonym
Other Name
Species account update: LeGrand on 2023-01-18 17:33:38
Photo Gallery for Rambur's Forktail   35 photos are available.
Only the most recent 30 are shown.
Other NC Galleries:    Jeff Pippen    Will Cook    Ted Wilcox
Photo 1 by: Mark Shields

Comment: Greene, 2022-06-20, Contentnea Creek at Daughtry's Boat Landing, Hookerton		Photo 2 by: Travis McLain

Comment: Cabarrus, 2022-05-24, Concord, private pond; iNaturalist Record #118574419
Photo 3 by: R. Newman

Comment: Carteret, 2021-10-15, FOMA - MerVapLt. Male @ -76.682554, 34.696094		Photo 4 by: Hunter Phillips

Comment: Wayne, 2021-06-27, - CLNE
Photo 5 by: Lori Arent

Comment: Granville, 2021-05-23, Falls Lake shoreline, at Brickhouse Road access		Photo 6 by: Matt Spangler

Comment: Richmond; C, 2021-05-06, Lake McKinney (lake & hatcheries)
Photo 7 by: Kyle Kittelberger

Comment: Dare; OBM, 2020-05-26, Pea Island NWR, South Pond		Photo 8 by: Mark Shields

Comment: Onslow, 2020-05-05, Stones Creek Game Land, Dry Lake area
Photo 9 by: Rob Van Epps, Kevin Metcalf

Comment: Richmond; C, 2020-04-26, Lake McKinney fish hatchery - Many mated pairs		Photo 10 by: Mark Shields

Comment: Craven, 2018-06-16, Swift Creek; 7 km section between Cool Springs Boating Access Area and NC 43 bridge, by kayak - females
Photo 11 by: Mark Shields

Comment: Chowan, 2018-06-09, Edenton National Fish Hatchery		Photo 12 by: Mark Shields

Comment: Edgecombe, 2018-05-25, Etheridge Pond, Tar River Game Land
Photo 13 by: Owen McConnell

Comment: Richmond; C, 2018-05-19, Cloudy and rainy all day - male and andromorph female in wheel		Photo 14 by: Owen McConnell

Comment: Richmond; C, 2018-05-19, McKinney Lake Fish Hatchery ponds - Immature heteromorph females
Photo 15 by: Mark Shields

Comment: Lenoir, 2018-05-01, Neuseway Nature Park, Kinston		Photo 16 by: C. Rose

Comment: Beaufort, 2017-09-27, Goose Creek State Park
Photo 17 by: John Petranka, Sally Gewalt

Comment: Lee, 2017-08-25, Watson Lake at Town Park, Broadway. - Males, including one preying on a teneral female Variable Dancer.		Photo 18 by: Rob Van Epps

Comment: Mecklenburg, 2017-08-12, Seen around retaining pond in SW Mecklenburg County
Photo 19 by: Mark Shields

Comment: Washington, 2017-06-16, Conaby Creek, from boating access area to 2.25 km upstream by kayak		Photo 20 by: Mark Shields

Comment: Brunswick, 2017-04-12, Waccamaw River from Pireway Boating Access Area to 6 km upstream
Photo 21 by: Mark Shields

Comment: Tyrrell , 2016-09-17, Scuppernong River Interpretive Boardwalk, Columbia		Photo 22 by: Mark Shields

Comment: Columbus, 2016-07-22, Lake Waccamaw, southern end between dam and pier
Photo 23 by: Mark Shields

Comment: Hyde, 2016-06-19, Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge		Photo 24 by: Mark Shields

Comment: Carteret, 2016-05-08, ponds along Patsy Pond Nature Trail, Croatan National Forest. Photo of immature female.
Photo 25 by: Mark Shields

Comment: Pamlico, 2015-09-04, Upper Broad Creek at Lee		Photo 26 by: Kristy Baker

Comment: Currituck, 2015-06-09, Pine Island Audubon Sanctuary - Multiple individuals seen but not counted.
Photo 27 by: Conrad Wernett

Comment: New Hanover, 2014-05-24 - Sutton Lake		Photo 28 by: Mike Turner

Comment: Wake, 2013-08-16, Harris Lake-paddling the shore NE of New Hill-Holleman Rd. - incl. 1 heteromorph female
Photo 29 by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Ed Corey

Comment: Bladen, 2013-06-04, seen at Jones Lake State Park		Photo 30 by: Mark Shields

Comment: Onslow, 2011-09-13, Coastal Carolina Community College